In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung on Tuesday transferred a number of officials overseeing the implementation of significant projects undertaken by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Slamming the move, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was behind the reshuffle and was “hell bent” on destroying Delhi. He said the reshuffle was executed despite requests by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia not to transfer bureaucrats handling flagship projects.
Among the officers who have been transferred are Health Secretary Dr. Tarun Seem, handling setting up of Mohalla Clinics, and PWD Secretary Sarvagya Srivastava, overseeing construction of school buildings. Environment Secretary Chandrakar Bharti has been transferred as Secretary, Health, while Social Welfare Secretary Ashwani Kumar has been appointed new PWD Secretary in place of non-IAS cadre officer Srivastava.
First big reshuffle by L-G
This is the first major bureaucratic reshuffle in Delhi after the High Court in its order on August 4 clarified that the L-G was the administrative head of the Capital. The AAP government in February gave the additional charge of principal secretary, Health, and principal secretary, PWD, to two non-IAS officers – Dr. Tarun Seem, an IRS official and managing director, State Health Mission, and Sarvagya Srivastava, an engineer. Reacting to the transfers, Mr. Kejriwal tweeted, “Modiji is hell bent on destroying Delhi thro LG. Manish had begged LG not to transfer the officials looking after the Mohalla Clinic and construction of schools projects till March 31. But he didn't agree. Today, several officers transferred by LG directly. Files not even shown to CM or any minister. Is this Modi model of democracy?”
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia attacked the Prime Minister for the transfers. . “We have got to know that Modiji had asked the LG on phone to transfer these two officers. Modiji can go to any extent. If education and health quality deteriorates, he will be responsible for this,” Mr. Sisodia said.
“For the first time, we had brought in non-IAS officers in these two departments as secretaries, an honest engineer in the PWD department and a person from a medical background in the Health Department. They have been transferred at a time when they were doing a good job,” Mr. Sisodia said.
He added that he had personally requested the L-G not to transfer these two officers, but he could not “spare even these two”. “So, now, we will go to villages and cities and also appeal to media and people to say that if there is any fall in quality in health and education services in Delhi, then PM Modi and L-G will be responsible,” he said.
